Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk talks with media as the team cleaned out their lockers on Monday April 22, 2019, following the Flames' early exit from the Stanley Cup playoffs.Gavin Young / Postmedia

Given that the Calgary Flames general manager was the bearer of bad news — that, no, he had no further update on Matthew Tkachuk’s contract status and that negotiations were still ongoing — likely not. The black cloud over the team’s annual golf course was somewhat symbolic.

“Thankfully, we’re not shovelling anything yet,” quipped Treliving.

So, then, it could be worse.

The Calgary Flames Celebrity Charity Golf Classic serves as the unofficial ‘welcome back’ for the team’s staff and players, gathering before the start of training camp which kicks off on Sept. 5 as the rookies report for fitness testing and physicals while the veterans report on Sept. 12.

Well, almost all of the veterans. Tkachuk, one of the more high profile restricted free agents who still remains unsigned, is not in the city. Neither is Andrew Mangiapane, who, for reasons unknown, still hasn’t agreed to terms with the Flames either.

In the former player’s case, the holdout is worrisome for many reasons.

Thoughts immediately turn to Treliving’s negotiations with Johnny Gaudreau a few off-seasons ago, talks that continued to drag on through the team’s 2016 training camp and preseason. Fifty-two hours before the season opener, No. 13 finally inked a six-year pact with the Flames who took a chance on him with their 104th selection in the 2011 NHL draft.

But Gaudreau, who had played for Team North America in the World Cup of Hockey that fall, had a slow start and had trouble getting into rhythm having not trained with the team prior to the 2016-17 NHL season.

There is value to being in camp from the start and competing in pre-season contests. Heck, that same fall that Gaudreau and the Flames had an impasse was the same fall that Tkachuk stormed on scene and made an impression during the exhibition schedule.

Pump the brakes, though. It’s still the first week in September.

At the moment, the Flames have a limited amount of cap space —$7.756-million according to CapFriendly.com — and it’s likely that significant moves may be necessary to fit everything in under budget.

“We remain committed to getting something done as soon as we can get something done and that’s our goal,” he said. “We want him here to start camp but it is what it is, right? We need both sides to feel comfortable in the deal and that’s sort of what we’re working through right now. So, we’re not there today, we don’t start today.

“But we’re hopeful we can get something done before we kick off training camp. And that’s the goal.”

Treliving added that missing training camp isn’t good for the team — or the player.

“We’re all confident to have him here. We all want him here, we know what he means to our team,” Treliving said. “But the coaches are going to coach who is here. That’s just natural. We want him here. My mind isn’t even on the possibility that he’s not going to be here. But, if he’s not, you carry on.”

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